Self cleaning vibratory dental mirror



J1me 1964 w. P. ARMSTRONG SELF CLEANING VIBRATORY DENTAL MIRROR Filed NOV. 16, 1961 INVENTOR. WILLIAM P. ARMSTRONG FIGJ.

ATTOR NEY.

United States Patent 3,137,071 SELF CLEANMG VIBRATORY DENTAL MIRROR William P. Armstrong, 6532 Harlow Blvd., .lacksonville, Fla. Filed Nov. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 153,264 14 Claims. (Cl. 32--69) This invention relates to dental appliances and more particularly to a mirror employed in dental work which will be kept dry and clear of residue dislodged by the drilling operation while in use. With modern high-speed drilling, a granular paste composed of tooth structure, enamel, dentine, decay and filling material is developed around the working area. i This pasty residue so developed forms a coating on the surface of the mirror being used by the dentist to such an extent that during a drilling operation, particularly when using a high-speed drill, the visibility afforded by the mirror is greatly impaired.

It is also of the utmost importance that the dentist should be able to perform the cleaning and cooling operation without the necessity of relinquishing the drill while doing so. Furthermore, the dentists attention should not be diverted by extraneous manipulations which may be irritating particularly during the drilling operation nor should he be required to employ the services of a chair assistant for this purpose.

Devices heretofore devised for cleaning a dental mirror while in use by the dentist inperforming a dental operation have employed a jet of air directed against the mirror surface. Such devices have not proved completely satisfactory under the conditions of service by reason of the pasty nature of the deposits thereon which adhere to the surface of the mirror sufliciently to prevent dislodgement by the air jet.

"The device of the present invention possesses all of the advantages of the prior art devices'and none of the foregoing disadvantages.

In accordance with the teaching of the present invention this desirable result is achieved by forcing a continuing series of air pulses against the surface of the mirror and concurrently therewith applying mechanical pulsations to. the mirror, as will be more clearly apparent as the description proceeds.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved self-cleaning dental mirror having means for applying a series of air pulsations to the surface thereof and concurrently therewith vibrating the mirror ,sufliciently to dislodge the residue formed thereon during a drilling operation.

Another of the objects is to provide a continuously vibrating dental mirror having means for impinging a pulsating jet of air forcibly against the surface thereof while the mirror is held within the patients mouth.

Another of the objects is the provision of a new and improveddental mirror having means therein for pulsing a sprayagainst the surface thereof and causing the mirror to pulsate concurrently therewith.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved method of cleaning a dental mirror while in use.

A further object is to provide a pulsating dental mirror having a pulsating air jet impinging the surface thereof in which means are provided within the handle of the mirror for controlling the rate of pulsations.

Still other objects, advantages and improvements will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a view somewhat in perspective of a dental mirror according to the present invention connected to a source of compressed air;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational View partially in section and partially broken away of the mirror of FIG. 1

and the pulse controlling means therefor;

3,137,071 Patented June 16, 1964 FIG. 3 isa greatly enlarged view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an air nozzle suitable for use with the device of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing on which like numerals of reference are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views for a more complete understanding of the invention and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown thereon a dental mirror indicated generally by the numeral 10 and having a hollow handle comprising a body portion 11 threaded to receive tubular members 12 and 13 at the upper and lower ends thereof respectively, as viewed in the drawing. The upper end of the tubular member 12 is provided with a conventional connector 14 for establishing an air connection by way of air line 15 to a source of compressed air, the connection including preferably, but not necessarily, a foot controlled valve 16 which, it will be understood, may, if desired, be omitted.

The lower end of member 13 is threaded into a hollow coupling member 17 having a projection 18 thereon provided with a bore 19 adapted to slideably receive and support a rod 21 carrying at the lower end thereof a mirror 22. A screw 23 is provided with a knurled head 24 and threaded within coupling 17 and projection 18 in a manner to maintain the mirror 22 in a predetermined adjusted position when'the screw is tightened. The lower end of coupling 17 is threaded to receive and retain a nozzle, such as the nozzle 25 illustrated, in a position to eject pulsations of air across the surface of mirror 22.

The nozzle is preferably flattened as at 26 to facilitate a jet flow across the entire surface of the mirror.

The body portion 11 of the handle is provided with an annular seat 27 of less internal diameter than the internal diameter of the tubular body 11 adapted to be engaged by a complementary mating surface of the flutter valve member 28 and momentarily arrest the flow of air therethrough when the valve is in the position shown on the drawing, the pressure of air normally urging the valve toward an open position. There is also provided a hearing or guide member 29 threaded into the upper portion of body 11 into engagement with a shoulder 31 formed interiorly thereof and having a bore 32 centrally disposed therein within which the valve member 28 is disposed for free sliding movement as the valve flutters thereby to form an air chamber between theguide member and the annular seat 27 when the valve is closed.

The member 29 is also provided with a plurality of apertures 33 substantially as shown to allow a limited flow of air therethrough. The upper end of the valve is threaded to receive a pair of adjusting nuts 34 threaded thereon and a helical spring 35 encircles the stem of valve member 28 with one end thereof engaging the lower end of the nuts 34 and the opposite end engaging the upper surface of guide member 29 thereby to retain the valve in a closed position when the mirror is not connected to a source of compressed air or the valve 16 is closed, as the case may be.

The nuts 34, it will be understood, are adjusted to a setting with respect to the valve 28 such that the force of the spring is just insufficient to maintain the valve continuously closed while air pressure is applied thereto and the desired pulsations of air and vibratory movement of the mirror concurrently therewith are obtained as the valve flutters. When this result has been achieved, the nuts are tightly locked together and the mirror is ready for operation in service.

Although a specific embodiment of a flutter valve or pulsator has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the pulsator may take different forms such, for example, as a turbine valve, spring valve, read or ball valve within the purview of the present invention,

it being merely necessary that the pulsating or vibratory movement of the mirror be achieved thereby and independently of impingement of the air against the surface of the mirror.

Whereas the device has been described with particular reference to a specific example thereof which gives satisfactory results, it is not so limited as it will be apparent to one skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and it is my intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 1. A self-cleaning dental mirror, a hollow handle for said mirror, means for clamping said mirror to the handle, an air duct within'said handle having an outlet adjacent to the surface of the mirror, and a spring biased flutter valve disposed within said duct for applying vibratory movement to the mirror and concurrently therewith pulsations of air to the surface thereof as the valve flutters thereby to loosen and remove debris deposited on said surface.

2. A dental mirror according to claim 1 including means on said flutter valve for changing at will the bias thereof.

3. A dental mirror according to claim 2 in which the means for changing the bias includes a stern on said valve and a pair of locking nuts threaded on the stem.

4. A dental mirror according to claim 3 including means forming an air chamber within the handle in communication with theflutter valve.

5. A self-cleaning dental mirror having a hollow handle, an air nozzle connected to said handle in a position to direct air pulses therefrom to the surface of the mirror, means connecting said handle to a source of compressed air, and a biased flutter valve disposed within said handle for applying vibratory movement continually to the mirror and concurrently therewith generating said pulses.

6. A self cleaning dental mirror connectable to a source of compressed air and having means to direct a periodically interrupted flow of air to the surface thereof, and air operated biased flutter value means carried by the mirror for periodically interrupting said flow of air and concurrently therewith imparting vibratory movement of the mirror.

7. A dental mirror according to claim 6 including a perforated bearing plate for said valve, and means inface, and air actuated means mounted on said handle constructed and arranged for periodically and suddenly interrupting the flow of said jet and simultaneously with each interruption applying an impulse to the mirror suf-. ficient to dislodge a deposit on said mirror surface,

9. A vibratory dental mirror connectable to a source of compressed air and having a hollow handle, a movable valve in said handle constructed and arranged to be momentarily opened by the air pressure thereagainst, a biasing spring engaging said valve with just insuflicient force to maintain the valve continuously closed when the mirror is connected to the source of compressed air whereby the valve is caused to flutter and impart impulses to the mirror with sufiicient force to dislodge a deposit on the mirror surface, and means connected to the exhaust side of said valve for direrting a jet of the fluctuating air therefrom against the mirror surface.

10. A vibratory dental mirror having a hollow handle connectable to a source of compressed air, means for directing a jet of air from said'handle against the surface of the mirror and air actuated spring biased means within said handle for suddenly and repeatedly applying vibratoiy movement to the mirror sufficient to dislodge a deposit thereon when the handle is connected to said compressed air source and concurrently therewith momentarily interrupting said jet of air, said air actuated spring biased means comprising a spring biased valve momentarily movable from the closed position thereof by the pressure of the air applied thereto from the source and returnable to the closed position by said spring.

11. A mirror according to claim 10 including means settable at will for adjusting the bias of said spring to a value just insnfiicient to maintain the valve continuously closed against the pressure of the air applied thereto from the source.

12. In a vibratory dental mirror, the combination of a mirror'having a reflecting surface, a hollow handle supporting said mirror, a flexible duct interconnecting said handle to a source of compressed air, a nozzle carried by the handle and with the interior thereof directing a jet of air against said reflecting surface, and spring biased flutter means in said handle and actuated by the pressure of the air thereagainst for vibrating said mirror continually with sufiicient force to dislodge a deposit on said mirror surface and periodically interrupt said jet'to apply air impulses to the reflecting surface synchronously therewith.

13. A vibratory dental mirror having a hollow handle connectable to a source of compressed air, and an impulse mechanism comprising a normally closed spring biased flutter valve movable to an open position momentarily by the pressure of the air thereagainst within said handle and actuated by the pressure of the compressed air for applying periodic vibrational movement to said References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,633 Feltham Apr. 25, 1933 2,066,313 Barr Jan. 5, 1937 2,843,019

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1. A SELF-CLEANING DENTAL MIRROR, A HOLLOW HANDLE FOR SAID MIRROR, MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID MIRROR TO THE HANDLE, AN AIR DUCT WITHIN SAID HANDLE HAVING AN OUTLET ADJACENT TO THE SURFACE OF THE MIRROR, AND A SPRING BIASED FLUTTER VALVE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DUCT FOR APPLYING VIBRATORY MOVEMENT TO THE MIRROR AND CONCURRENTLY THEREWITH PULSATIONS OF AIR TO THE SURFACE THEREOF AS THE VALVE FLUTTERS THEREBY TO LOOSEN AND REMOVE DEBRIS DEPOSITED ON SAID SURFACE. 